1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a facsimile device equipped with a remote information fetch capability, and particularly to a facsimile device which enables a calling side to easily learn that an error is caused by an erroneous operating method or absence of data by transferring a proper operating method to be carried out on an information requesting side and/or image data such as a list of contents of data registered, etc. when there is no box with a box number and an identification number that corresponds to the box number and identification number specified by the calling side at the time of remote information fetching, or even though the box corresponding to the specified number exists but no image data is stored therein.
The present invention also relates to a communication device which provides information via facsimile communication, and a memory medium in which computer programs for controlling the communication device are stored.
2. Description of Related Art
Hitherto, for a facsimile device, various proposals have been made on the remote information fetching capacity for transferring image data stored in boxes provided in an image data memory to a calling side, namely, an opposite facsimile device.
For example, the facsimile device recited in Japanese Non-examined Patent Publication No. 8(1996)-168009 has a remote procedure shifting means for shifting to the DTMF remote control procedure when a DTMF remote start command is received while reply is being received during the initial identification procedure, a DTMF analysis means for analyzing DTMF signals in the DTMF remote control procedure, an accumulation means for accumulating images in a specified memory box, an image transferring means for transferring images in the memory box, and a memory box establishing means for establishing a memory box for accumulating or storing the received images. When a remotely instructed command is an instruction to transfer images in the memory box in the DTMF remote control procedure, the facsimile device identifies a memory box which possesses the sub-address and/or password that coincide with the sub-address and/or password conforming to ITU-T (International Telecommunication Union-Telecommunication Sector) stored in the DTMF signal, and transfers the image of the relevant memory box after completion of the DTMF remote control procedure.
By this configuration, when a command instructed by the DTMF command is to transfer the image in the memory box, the image of the memory box is able to be transferred after identifying the memory box that possesses the sub-address and the password that coincide with the sub-address and the password stored in the DTMF signals in the DTMF remote control procedure.
However, in the facsimile device recited in Japanese Non-examined Patent Publication No. 8(1996)-168009, when the number of digits or usable characters of the sub-address and the password conforming to ITU-T stored in the DTMF signal vary according to facsimile device of the receiving side or when no image is stored in the memory box that possesses the sub-address and the password that coincide with this sub-address and password, an error occurs and the circuit is open, causing a problem in that the information fetching side, that is, the calling side, is unable to learn whether the error is caused by a circuit failure or not.
Meanwhile, for the facsimile device serving as a communication device for furnishing various kinds of information via facsimile communication, an information providing means using so-called F-code is proposed.
This F-code is one of the application functions of facsimile communication using sub-address/selective polling command in the communication protocol specified in ITU-T. And in order to carry out facsimile communication using the F-code, a communication system called F-code bulletin board communication is specified by the Communication Manufacturers' Association in Japan.
This F-code bulletin board communication is a communication system in which the information furnishing side possesses a memory with a plurality of boxes (memory area) storing information and the information requiring side specifies the box number in the memory on the information furnishing side on the communication protocol, thereby fetching and receiving the information stored in the specified box.
However, in the means for providing information by the use of the F-code bulletin board communication, the side who requires the supply of the information must know the box number of the box storing the information he wants beforehand. Therefore, the information furnishing side has a problem for notifying the box number to the information requiring side by using mass-media, etc.
In addition, for a means to provide the information using the F-code bulletin board communication, the facsimile device of the side requiring the supply of information must be equipped with functions to carry out F-code bulletin board communication. Consequently, when the transfer of information is requested by general polling using a facsimile device which is not equipped with a function to carry out F-code bulletin board communication, messages are received but the next communication procedure does not take place, and there is a problem in that undefined communication error occurs in the facsimile device of the information transfer requesting side.